Nebraska’s 2026 opener brings more than just a nonconference matchup to Lincoln. When the Cornhuskers host Ohio on Saturday afternoon, the game also ties together two programs through Frank Solich, the former Nebraska coach whose name now sits on Ohio’s field.
Solich remains the winningest coach in Bobcats history after going 115-82 from 2005-20. Before that, he spent six seasons leading Nebraska, where he went 58-19 from 1998-2003 after a long run as an assistant under Tom Osborne.
“Coach is just a wonderful man and a tremendous example to all us young coaches,” Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said of Solich. “Obviously he'll be very neutral for this game.”
Nebraska enters the season coming off a 7-6 finish in 2025, giving Rhule back-to-back winning seasons. That’s a notable shift for a program that hadn’t finished above .500 since 2016 before this stretch. Still, the Cornhuskers closed last season unevenly, losing four of their final five after a 6-2 start, and now they have to replace major production from Big Ten rushing leader Emmett Johnson and quarterback Dylan Raiola, among others.
The new man under center is UNLV transfer Anthony Colandrea. His most recent game with the Rebels happened to come against Ohio, in a 17-10 Frisco Bowl loss. Colandrea finished that night 19 of 30 for 184 yards with an interception, and he brought a regular season line of 3,275 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and eight picks with him to Nebraska.
Ohio, meanwhile, is also dealing with a reset after a 9-4 season, its fourth straight year with at least nine wins. The Bobcats’ year took a turn between the regular season and bowl game, when coach Brian Smith was placed on leave and later fired. Assistant John Hauser handled the bowl game and then kept the job permanently.
This fall, the Bobcats are rebuilding around a much thinner return group. Only five starters are back, and just one comes from the offense. The quarterback job now belongs to Nick Poulos, who has thrown for 290 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in limited action over the last two seasons.
“As coaches we're trying to figure out what we're really good at, what we've got to keep getting better at, because every team is different,” Hauser said. “I think we have a focused group that want to do it, so that's fun.”
Nebraska has been perfect against current Mid-American Conference teams, going 5-0, though it did lose at home to Northern Illinois in 2017 when the Huskies were still in the MAC. Ohio’s last win over a Big Ten team came against Penn State in 2012.
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Justin Evans Just Became A Powerful Symbol Of Nebraska's New Culture
Justin Evans has become one of the clearer signposts of where Nebraska football wants to go under Matt Rhule, earning recognition from teammates and the coaching staff as the Huskers prepare for the 2026 season. A lineman by trade and now a more complete presence than he was when he first started reshaping his role in 2023, Evans has grown into the kind of steady voice and dependable figure a team wants setting the tone up front. He has also helped anchor an offensive line that brings back several experienced players, which matters for a program trying to build something more durable than one good week at a time.
The clearest measure of that respect came in the teams leadership voting, where Evans drew the most votes ever for an offensive lineman eligible for one of Nebraskas single-digit leadership jerseys. He still cannot wear that number on game days, but the distinction says plenty about how his teammates see him heading into a season that opens with Ohio and carries the usual pressure that comes with a program trying to turn culture into results. For Nebraska, Evans is not just part of the line - he has become a symbol of the line the Huskers want to be. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Blackshirt Debate Is Back And Fans Know Why
Rob Aurich is still sorting out one of Nebraska footballs most recognizable traditions, and that alone has kept the Blackshirt conversation humming around the program. The new defensive coordinator has not decided when or how hell hand out the coveted Blackshirts, the symbolic gear reserved for starting defensive players, and he has made clear that the timing will depend on how the unit develops as the season unfolds.
For Nebraska fans, that uncertainty is part of the appeal and part of the debate. The Blackshirts carry real weight in Lincoln, so every delay invites more questions about the criteria, the rollout, and what Aurich wants to see before making the call. Until he settles on a plan, the speculation figures to keep following the defense wherever it goes next. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Just Gave Nebraska Fans A Very Different Reason To Look Closer
Rutgers opened its season with a home loss to UMass, a result that immediately rippled beyond the Big Ten East because of who was driving the Minutemen offense. Pop Watson, once a Nebraska commit, was sharp from the start and kept Rutgers on its heels while UMass snapped through a matchup many expected the Scarlet Knights to control.
For Nebraska fans, the relevance is obvious. Watson finished 19 of 22 for 197 yards and three touchdowns, a reminder of the arm talent the Huskers once had in their recruiting database, while Rutgers quarterback Dylan Lonergan never found rhythm and was eventually replaced late after a rough night. It was the kind of opener that leaves both Rutgers looking for answers and Nebraska followers wondering what might have been. [Read more 🡒]